[October 29th]

Updates From the National President's Conference

President Burrus addressed the Presidents and revealed that the parties are discussing the following, at the National level:

1. Extending the APWU's contract until November, 2005.
2. Raises in the range of 1.3 - 1.5%
3. Continuation of C.O.L.A.s
4. The Union and the USPS petitioning OPM for enhanced retirement opportunities
5. A short term moratorium on excessing
6. An agreement on proper excessing procedures
7. Level adjustments for CFS clerks and maintenance levels 9, 10, &11
8. Five additional bids for the extended period of the contract

In an attempt to protect jobs, the parties have been discussing ways to handle the decreased mail volume and the resulting loss of funds to the company. The USPS intends to consolidate plants nationwide, to eliminate tours in facilities, consolidate Associate Offices as postmasters retire, and to continue to decrease the number of employees on the rolls.

Check the next issue of the Metro Voice for more details.

In solidarity,
Rosemary Penascino, President

        [October 20th]

The Life Cycle of a Grievance

Read this informative, two-part article by Business Agent Patti Meanor on the process that a grievance goes through, from beginning to end, and what happens at Steps 1, 2, and 3. (Originally published in the Metro Voice.)

You'll learn why it's important to document everything, how to help your own case, and the reasons behind why some grievances are withdrawn. Learn to work with your steward and make sure your grievance gets the attention it deserves.

        [October 16th]

Other Facilities Face Excessing

The Postal Service has pledged that customer service won't suffer if and when clerks are cut from branch stations or others are "excessed" to another postal facility within 250 miles.

Postal Service cuts would hurt, union chief says
By Duncan Adams, of the Roanoke(Va.) Times

The debt-ridden U.S. Postal Service's plan to cut costs and increase its reliance on automation for mail sorting seems destined to affect postal employees in the Roanoke Valley. The Postal Service pledges customer service won't suffer.

A union official begs to differ.

Recently, area postal workers learned that full-time clerks who sort mail in branch stations could be asked to move to the mail processing and distribution center on Rutherford Avenue. The clerks face the prospect of losing day shifts in branch offices to work an evening or graveyard shift at the main plant. They also face the possibility of a more dramatic transition. In Postal Service terms, they could be "excessed" - a fate that could require their moving to another postal facility within 250 miles of Roanoke if they want to remain postal employees.

Anne Murray, postmaster in Roanoke, said it's not yet clear how many employees will be affected. She said estimates suggest 37 branch clerks could be moved to the processing center and about 18 part-time employees at the processing plant might transfer to branches to assume hand-sorting tasks there, labor which Murray said no longer requires a full shift to complete.

"I don't think we have a fixed number yet," she said.

The Postal Service announced recently that 42 full-time employees could be "excessed." Murray said that announcement was made to meet formal notice requirements.

"Notification has been given to the area just that the possibility exists," she said. "We don't know at this time whether anybody will be leaving Roanoke."

Murray said change is necessary as the Postal Service tries to cut expenses and incorporate computer-related innovations in mail sorting.

"We're not unlike any other company out there that has come up with more efficient ways to do business," she said. "In essence, we're just doing the responsible thing. And it's not just Roanoke. It's across the country."

The local changes should not affect customer service, Murray said.

David Pippin is president of the American Postal Workers Union, Local 482. Pippin said he does not agree that area customers won't feel the effects at post office branches.

"It's going to hurt service," he said, predicting mail will appear later in post office boxes and that home delivery also will be delayed.

Jim Burke, APWU's eastern region coordinator, said the union has formulated an alternative staffing plan that could protect clerks' jobs. He said APWU will fight attempts to "excess" clerks in Roanoke to postal facilities elsewhere.

Earlier this month, U.S. Postmaster General John Potter said the Postal Service's "transformation plan" is designed to reduce costs by $5 billion systemwide by 2006. About 23,000 employee positions were reduced in fiscal 2002, Potter said, and the Postal Service plans to cut another 12,000 positions nationwide this fiscal year through attrition.

The APWU has criticized Potter's plan. "There's a whole laundry list of problems with the transformation plan," Burke said. The Postal Service is trying to eliminate career positions, he said, which they intend to "backfill" with part-time or temporary employees.

        [October 10th]

Meeting Information

Please note the change in meeting places for the membership meeting. For directions, check out the map for the location of the United Way Building.

The next scheduled meeting of the

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL is:
Friday October 11, 2002 at 4:00 p.m. at the Local Headquarters Building, 1414 Brighton Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15212. All stewards are welcome.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING is:
Tuesday, October 15, 2002 at 4:00 p.m. at the Local Headquarters Building, 1414 Brighton Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15212.

MEMBERSHIP MEETING is:
Saturday, October 19, 2002 at 7:30 p.m. at the United Way Building, 1 Smithfield Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. The meeting will be held in the Heinz Room, lower level.

        [October 4th]

MVS Personnel

Voting for the annual repick has been completed. The results are as follows:

DRIVERS GMF
PICK 24
NO PICK 13
The GMF drivers will repick.

DRIVERS BMC
PICK 18
NO PICK 3
The BMC drivers will repick.

VMF PICK 7
NO PICK 10
VMF employees will not repick.

BMC V.O.A.'s
PICK 2
NO PICK 3
V.O.A. employees will not repick.

The MVS Craft Director will handle the repicks at the GMF. Union stewards at the BMC will handle the repick at that facility.

        [October 2nd]

Have You Checked out the Labor Day Parade Photo Gallery?

We have some great representative shots posted, and our only regret is that we couldn't fit them all!

Go take a look!

        [October 1st]

Closed Washington DC Postal Facility to be Renamed for USPS Anthrax Victims

President Bush has signed into law a measure renaming the Brentwood Road postal facility in Washington, D.C., as the Joseph Curseen Jr. and Thomas Morris Jr. Processing Distribution Center, memorializing the Postal Service workers who died during last year's anthrax attacks.

Curseen, 47, of Clinton, Md., and Morris, 55, of Suitland, Md., died of inhalation anthrax after two letters laced with anthrax spores passed through the Brentwood plant last October on their way to Capitol Hill.

The Brentwood facility has been closed since then. Full cleanup could begin within the month, Postal Service officials say.

Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., had introduced a bill to rename the facility after the two anthrax victims. Legislation also was introduced in the House by Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C., and Rep. Albert Wynn, D-Md.

Curseen was a native of Washington, and long-time resident of Prince George's County, Md., part of which Wynn represents. He never called in sick during his 15 years at Brentwood. Morris too was a Washington native and resident of Prince George's County. He worked 23 years for the Postal Service.

        [September 28th]

AFL-CIO Supports Ed Rendell for Pennsylvania Governor

Union Flyers Available
The Working Families office has a supply of AFL-CIO flyers on hand for distribution for union members. "An important message from your union - Ed Rendell for Governor " signs are now available. Call the Working Families office at 412-562-1160 or 412-562-1162 to find out how to obtain signs.

Phone Bank Volunteers Needed
Also, use those above phone numbers to sign up to work the phone banks. Fifty phones are available, so volunteers are needed! Phone bank hours are Monday through Thursday, 5:30 PM - 9 PM, beginning Monday, September 30. The phone bank is located in the Steelworkers' Building, corner of Stanwix and Boulevard of the Allies, downtown Pittsburgh.